Police Khidmat Markaz & Reporting Centre for Transgender in PS Women Rawalpindi

   Police Khidmat Markaz & Reporting Centre for Transgender in PS Women Rawalpindi

Introduction

Rawalpindi Police have taken a historical step by initiating a Police Khidmat Markaz & Reporting Centre for Transgender in Women Police Station, Rawalpindi. It is the first Police Station in Pakistan. This Police Station was inaugurated by first lady Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto in 1994.

Police Khidmat Markaz & Reporting Centre for Transgender (PKM & RCT) is the first one in the history of Pakistan and Punjab Police, which is established as the main point for facilitating all transgenders from the whole city.

Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018

The government of Pakistan passed an act “Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018”. According to this law, the transgender community have all rights and privileges like the other citizens of Pakistan.

A Transgender person  is  the one who;

·         Whose gender identity or gender expression differs from the social norms and culture assigned to them at the time of their birth

·         mixture of male and female genital features or congenital ambiguities;

·         eunuch assigned male at birth, but undergoes genital excision or castration

       (Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018)

According to this law, eunuch has following rights;

·         Rights of self-perceived identity

·         Protection of fundamental rights like inheritance, education, employment, assembly, access to public spaces, vote, holding of public office and health,

·         Rights of inheriting property

·         Protection against sexual, physical, mental and psychological harassment

Background and Purpose of PKM & RCT, Rawalpindi

The transgender community consists of 500,000 or 207 million population identified as transgenders in Pakistan according to advocacy group Trans Action. However, the violation of fundamental rights and society’s negative attitude towards them is also increased. 

Many eunuchs were sexually harassed, murdered at a dance party and missing.

Police’ reaction was also not appropriate and in-time regarding the violation of intersex’s rights. For the execution of “Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018”, Rawalpindi Police starts first PKM & RCT in the country’s first Women Police Station Rawalpindi.

Police Khidmat Markaz & Reporting Centre for Transgender (PKM & RCT) is established to provide all Police related services with dignity and convenience to the transgenders under one roof.

This cell will ensure the safety and protection of transgenders’ fundamental rights. It is responsible to keep them safe from violence, harassment, gender discrimination, community and social negative attitude by securing their basic human rights.

Area Limitation

Transgender cell is independent and nobody from this cell can be mixed in female Police or come in the part of the area of the Women Police Station.

Staff

Nobody from male and female Police officers can deal with the community of transgenders in this centre. However, all staff consists of transgenders.

Police male and female computer operators will also be part of this staff at the initial stage. However, after getting training of operating computer, these operators may also be replaced by their community members.

Functions

Police Khidmat Markaz & Reporting Centre for Transgender (PKM & RCT) deal all criminal, Police and traffic related matters about transgenders and their whole community in district Rawalpindi. 

Similarly, all Police stations in Rawalpindi district will communicate to the community of transgenders via PKM & RCT Rawalpindi.

Some significant functions of transgender cell in PS Women, Rawalpindi are;

·         Crime reporting

·         Report of missing transgender

·         Issuing and renewing of driving license and traffic related services

·         Legal assistance

·         Copy of FIR

·         Character certificate

·         General Police verification

·         Reporting of lost documents

·         Tenant and employers’ registration        

 

Reaction of transgenders’ Community

Transgenders community is excited after the establishment of the facilitation centre in Rawalpindi. 

Ram Sharif is the first officer inducted in Rawalpindi Police as a victim support officer in PKM & RCT Rawalpindi. She is well qualified and activist to support transgenders’ community.

“She says, it is highly appreciating and encouraging for her, because she is working as the facilitator and representative of her community. This is not just a job, but a blessing and opportunity of becoming voice of transgenders”.

Ram Sharif expresses herself as;

She has a strong desire for setting up protection homes for transgender persons, because most of them are left by their families and forced to join Guru Chela system. In this system, they have to do dancing, begging and forced prostitutes or sex work for their survival.

Conclusion

PKM & RCT Rawalpindi is the start of offering legal and Police related services to the transgender community by accepting their self-perceived identity at the main stream level after introducing  “Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018”.